Union Science and Technology Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh on Sunday, 12 July 2026 chaired the monthly Joint Review Meeting of Secretaries of all Science Ministries and Departments, with Principal Scientific Adviser Prof. Ajay Kumar Sood also in attendance. The meeting reviewed action taken on decisions from the previous joint session and set the agenda for a major nationwide coastal cleanliness campaign planned for September 2026.

Context

The monthly joint meeting brings together the secretaries of all science-related ministries and departments under a single forum to track follow-up actions, share knowledge, and align implementation. Dr. Singh reiterated the government's emphasis on a 'whole of government' approach — regular interaction among ministries, joint initiatives, and coordinated delivery — so that scientific achievements translate directly into citizen benefits.

Prof. Ajay Kumar Sood, the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India, participated in the session, underscoring the importance of science-policy alignment at the highest advisory level.

Policy Backdrop

The centrepiece of this month's meeting was the forthcoming coastal cleanliness campaign 'Swachh Sagar, Surakshit Sagar', scheduled to run from 10 to 19 September 2026 along India's entire coastline. The initiative seeks to combine environmental conservation with public awareness and community participation, and is expected to be one of the country's largest coastal cleanliness drives.

The campaign draws from the broader lineage of the Swachh Bharat Mission, launched in 2014, which inspired targeted coastal and marine conservation programmes. The meeting focused on outreach strategy and preparations, with plans to bring together scientific institutions, government agencies, volunteers, celebrities, educational institutions, and local communities.

The minister also stressed wider adoption of the SARAL_AI platform — a digital tool designed to increase researcher participation across institutions and expand public access to information on ongoing research projects. Regular dissemination of success stories through digital means was highlighted as a key communication goal.

Stakeholders and Impact

The campaign is designed to mobilise a wide coalition: coastal communities, scientific institutions, researchers, volunteers, and educational bodies across the country's roughly 7,500-km coastline. By involving celebrities and local communities alongside government agencies, the drive aims to generate mass public awareness around marine pollution and coastal conservation.

Researchers stand to benefit from the push on SARAL_AI, which promises greater institutional participation and more transparent public access to research outcomes — a step toward making government-funded science more visible and accountable.

What's Next

The immediate focus will be on finalising outreach strategies and institutional partnerships ahead of the 10 September 2026 launch of 'Swachh Sagar, Surakshit Sagar'. The government's ability to coordinate scientific institutions, civil society, and local communities at scale will be a key test of the inter-ministerial coordination model championed at this meeting.

If the campaign succeeds in sustaining community participation beyond a single event, it could set a template for future environment-science convergence initiatives under the 'whole of government' framework.